So it's no surprise that I launched myself onto her latest collection when I saw it at my favorite local comics shop. As a matter of fact, back when I bought her first book I didn't realize I already had a small stack of her zines!

So what is The Fart Party? It's a loosely connected series of slice-of-life vignettes, telling, in this case, the story of her breakup with boyfriend Oliver and decision to move to New York from San Francisco. Wertz, despite her insistence that she's not a very nice person to be around, is likable, funny and real as she shares the ins and outs of her adventures and her inner thoughts and feelings.

It's laugh-out-loud funny but definitely one for grownups; there's cartoonish violence (very cartoonish), swearing, sex and scatology throughout. The black and white, pen and ink artwork is uncomplicated but distinctive and expressive; I enjoyed both her more finished comics as well as the rougher "stick figure" panels, drawn when travelling or at moments of more fevered emotion. In fact, I think I like those comics more for their excess of energy. As one LibraryThing reviewer said, "Wow. That was wildly inappropriate! I wish I could find a girl like Julia all for myself." That pretty much sums it up for me too!

Very interesting title! I think I am going to try the first in this series. It looks fun, and I love inappropriate humor. Thanks for reviewing this one. I know I would have never come across it anywhere else!